Natural Mineral Water with Lithothamnium?

Are all “natural mineral” waters good for you?

It will depend on which compounds are part of it. Initially, the chemical composition can indicate whether the water has benefits for the body or whether it can cause harm to health, and it is recommended to read labels before making a purchase. This way, you can check which components are part of the water and choose the one that is most suitable for the benefit of your health.

Due to contact with rocks, sediments, marine minerals and other natural elements, mineral water has medicinal properties. Mineral waters with a higher iron content, for example, are recommended for people who have anemia, and the simple act of consuming this water is, at the same time, contributing to the improvement of this condition. There are also radioactive waters, which can help eliminate kidney stones, magnesian waters, which help regulate the intestine, and vanadic waters, which have antioxidant properties that help synthesize cholesterol and transport sugar for diabetics, among other types.

"Variations in components, sometimes called nutritional information or chemical composition, can be checked on the label. Many do not observe these differences and think they are consuming a product rich in minerals, when in fact they are not in the composition.”

The composition of the water varies according to the source of origin, but you can find substances with more familiar names, such as Calcium and Magnesium, to the more eccentric ones, such as Strontium, Barium and Vanadium, in modest concentrations, but which can be ionized by a marine mineral, Lithothamnium algae, and bring health benefits.

The mineral water market is so hot that there is even room for premium options. This is the case of Norwegian Voss, sold in a glass bottle, and Fiji, taken from deep mines on the island of Viti Levu, in Oceania. To take 330 ml, you need to pay around €3.30. The price reflects factors such as container, transportation, taxes and water quality.

Water is a very important component of our organism, so much so that it represents between 60 and 70% of an adult organism. It is more difficult to survive without water than without food. There is no magic formula to calculate the amount of water you should drink daily, but it depends on the person themselves, their lifestyle, whether they lead a sedentary and physically inactive lifestyle or whether they practice sports or activities that demand more from the body physically. It also has to do with diet – whether you consume a lot or little of fruit and vegetables, among other factors.

Considering that the body loses water through breathing, perspiration and through urine and feces, it is recommended that an adult consumes an average of 2 liters of water per day. However, whenever you are thirsty, you should hydrate, because thirst is the body's mechanism for expressing the need for hydration. It is necessary to pay special attention to elderly people and children, offering them water proactively, because they often ignore the sensation of thirst.

See the comparative of commercial natural waters, from Portugal and Brazil.

				Portugal	Maranhão - Brasil	Portugal	São Paulo - Brasil
Monchique Mineral Water (deep well at 900m)	Chemical Composition (mg/L)	Sample 5279 FAZ FT-1 Fazenda Fonte	Chemical Composition (mg/L)	Mineral water Fraga Fountain	Chemical Composition (mg/L)	Natural Silver Water (510 mL glass)	Chemical Composition (mg/L)
Total Mineralization (Total Dissolved Solids)	347	Total Mineralization (Total Dissolved Solids)	293	Total Mineralization (Total Dissolved Solids)	158	Total Mineralization (Total Dissolved Solids)	94

Table 1 - Comparative from natural waters between Portugal and Brasil

About the Sample from Fazenda Fonte, Maranhão

It has a total Dissolved Solids of 293 mg/L of total Mineralization.

ANM - (National Mineral Agency) total mineralization: up to 50 mg/L, the water is very little mineralized, between 50 and 500 mg/L it is oligomineral or little mineralized, and above 1500 mg/L it is rich in minerals. It is between two of the best waters in Portugal and better than water Prata Natural in a 510 mL glass;

The Silica (SiO2) content found in water, without any health problems; pH (Hydrogen Potential) indicates the level of acidity, on a scale from 0 to 14, whether the water is neutral (pH = 7), acidic (pH < 7), or alkaline (pH > 7). The most recommended by doctors and nutritionists is alkaline, which neutralizes stomach acids and ingested fats. “Those with problems such as ulcers and gastritis can benefit from daily consumption of alkaline-magnesian water.” The FAZ FONT-1 spring water is Alkaline-magnesian: as it has a pH above 7, whose value was pH 8.08;

Sodium and Chloride in high quantities can be harmful. If you follow a diet low in sodium (Na), choose water with less than 20 mg/L. For children's food, choose low sodium content. In these elements, FAZ FONT-1 water stands out over Monchique and Fonte da Fraga water (Portugal) due to the lowest values ​​of these elements; Bicarbonates, waters with more than 600 mg/L are bicarbonated and are recommended, in moderation, for those with gastric hyperacidity or problems with uric acid. FAZ FONT- 1 water presents values ​​of 205 mg/L, indicating a spring source in a limestone region;

Magnesium in high amounts can have a laxative effect, especially when associated with sulfate. With a content greater than 50 mg/L, they are magnesian waters. The levels found in the water from FAZ FONT-1 present a value of 22.7 mg/L, much higher than the values ​​of other comparative waters;

High calcium levels can interfere with the absorption of nutrients such as potassium, iron, and zinc. With more than 150 mg/liter they are calcium waters. The levels found in the water from FAZ FONT-1 are 37.5 mg/L, much higher than other comparative waters, therefore rich in calcium and magnesium, two excellent elements for health;

Nitrate, the limit is up to 50 mg/L. But choose the option with less nitrate. The higher its content, the more vulnerable that source is to contamination. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and babies should not drink water with more than 10 to 15 mg/L. The levels found in the water at FAZ FONT-1 present a value of <0.4 mg/L for Nitrate NO3-N, and a value of <0.02 mg/L for Nitrite NO2-N, much lower than comparative water, Water Natural Silver with a content of 1.30 mg/L;

The water at FAZ FONT-1 contains strontium, barium, and fluoride in its chemical composition, in modest concentrations, but essential for the human body.

So this is an evidence that Lithothamnium Algae improves the quality of water.